October 21, 2025

Bottom Line: Small NDIS providers waste thousands annually on enterprise software designed for large organisations. This guide helps providers with under 50 participants choose affordable, simple software that matches their actual needs. Understanding the NDIS Software Market The Australian NDIS software market divides into three clear categories. Each category targets different provider sizes and uses distinct pricing strategies. Enterprise Solutions (SupportAbility, Brevity) serve providers managing 100+ participants. They charge $50-150 per user monthly and hide pricing behind consultation barriers. Setup takes weeks or months. Small providers pay for features they never use. Mid-Market Solutions (ShiftCare, CareMaster) target growing providers with 20-100 participants. They use per-user pricing starting at $12-40 per user monthly. Pricing appears affordable initially but increases significantly as teams expand. All Scale (Small to Large) Provider Solutions (Vertex360) focus exclusively on providers managing 1-50-400+ participants. They use participant-based pricing starting from $31.50 monthly. Setup completes in days. Pricing remains transparent and predictable. A provider managing 15 participants with 10 staff members pays vastly different amounts depending on pricing models. Enterprise solutions cost $6,000-18,000 annually. Per-user models cost $1,440-4,800 annually. Participant-based models cost $2,160-3,240 annually. Three Pricing Models Explained Per-User Pricing Model How It Works: You pay for each staff member who needs software access. Rates range from $12-150 per user monthly. Example: ShiftCare charges $12 per user monthly. A team of 5 staff pays $60 monthly. When you hire your 10th staff member, costs increase to $120 monthly. Best For: Stable teams with minimal hiring. Organisations where only 2-3 administrators need full access. Participant-Based Pricing Model How It Works: You pay based on participant count, not staff count. Pricing increases in tiers as your participant list grows. Example: Vertex360 charges $31.50 monthly for 1-5 participants, $90 for 6-10 participants, $180 for 11-20 participants. Support worker accounts remain free. Best For: Growing teams hiring support workers frequently. Providers prioritising predictable costs tied to revenue growth. Module-Based Pricing Model How It Works: Base software provides limited features. Each additional capability requires a separate paid module. Example: Brevity offers modular pricing with separate charges for scheduling, billing, and compliance. Estimated costs range from $40-100+ per user monthly. Best For: Providers wanting maximum flexibility. Teams comfortable managing complex configurations. Growth Impact Analysis Provider with 15 participants, 10 staff in Year 1, growing to 15 staff by Year 3: Per-User Model (ShiftCare): Year 1: $1,440 | Year 2: $2,160 | Year 3: $2,160 | Total: $5,760 Participant-Based (Vertex360): Year 1: $2,160 | Year 2: $2,160 | Year 3: $2,160 | Total: $6,480 Enterprise (SupportAbility est.): Year 1: $6,000 | Year 2: $9,000 | Year 3: $9,000 | Total: $24,000 Essential Features vs Enterprise Complexity Small NDIS providers need four core capabilities: Rostering and Scheduling: Assign support workers to shifts. View schedules. Send shift reminders. Handle changes. Timesheet Management: Digital clock in/out. Manager approvals. Automatic hour calculations. Payroll exports. NDIS Invoicing: Generate NDIS-compliant invoices. Apply correct pricing categories. Submit through NDIS portal. Track payments. Progress Notes: Record shift notes digitally. Capture incident reports. Store documents securely. Generate compliance reports. Enterprise Features Small Providers Rarely Use Advanced analytics dashboards and predictive analytics Multi-entity management across departments Complex integration ecosystems Custom workflow automation engines White-label client portals These features add $20-80 per user monthly. Small providers pay for capabilities designed for organisations managing 500+ participants. Major Vendor Comparison Vertex360: All Scale Provider Specialist Pricing: $31.50-180/month (participant-based). Full transparency online. Setup: Days. Optional $99 onboarding (4 hours). Best For: Providers with 1-50 participants prioritising predictable costs. 3-Year TCO (10 staff, 15 participants): $6,480 ShiftCare: Mid-Market Option Pricing: $12-18/user/month. Partial transparency. Setup: Days. Quick implementation. Best For: Small stable teams (2-5 staff) focused on rostering. 3-Year TCO (10 staff, 15 participants): $4,320-6,480 (grows with hiring) SupportAbility: Enterprise Leader Pricing: $50-150/user/month estimated. Hidden pricing. Setup: Weeks to months. Professional implementation required. Best For: Established providers managing 100+ participants. 3-Year TCO (10 staff, 15 participants): $18,000-54,000 estimated Brevity: Modular Complexity Pricing: $40-100+/user/month estimated. Module-based. Setup: Weeks. Module selection creates delays. Best For: Providers wanting precise customisation. 3-Year TCO (10 staff, 15 participants): $14,400-36,000+ estimated Side-by-Side Comparison Feature Vertex360 ShiftCare SupportAbility Brevity Starting Price $31.50/month $12/user Hidden Hidden Pricing Model Participant-based Per-user Per-user Module-based Transparency Full Partial None None Free Staff Accounts Yes No No No Setup Time Days Days Weeks-months Weeks Target Size 1-50-400+ participants Small-medium 100+ participants Medium-large Total Cost of Ownership Calculator Software subscription costs represent only 40-60% of total ownership expenses. Calculate these seven cost categories: Setup Fees: Enterprise: $2,000-10,000 | Mid-market: $500-2,000 | Simple: $0-200 Data Migration: Per-record charges ($3-10/record) or flat fees Training Costs: Enterprise: 10-20 hours | Simple: 1-4 hours Monthly Subscriptions: Calculate across 3 years with growth scenarios Scaling Penalties: Per-user models increase with each hire Module Add-Ons: Each module costs $10-30 per user monthly Support Costs: $0 (included) to $50-200/month for priority Real Provider Scenario: 3-Year TCO Scenario: 15 participants, 10 staff in Year 1, growing to 25 participants, 15 staff by Year 3. Vertex360 Total Suite: Setup: $99 | Migration: $39 | Training: $0 | Years 1-2: $2,160 each | Year 3: $3,240 | Total: $7,698 ShiftCare Advanced: Setup: $0 | Migration: $0 | Training: $525 | Years 1-2: $2,160 each | Year 3: $3,240 | Total: $8,085 SupportAbility: Setup: $5,000 | Migration: $1,000 | Training: $2,000 | Year 1: $6,000 | Year 2: $6,300 | Year 3: $9,450 | Total: $29,750 Vertex360 saves small, medium, and large providers $4,212-21,330 over three years compared to enterprise alternatives. Questions to Ask Vendors What are your setup and implementation fees? How much does data migration cost? What training is required and included? How does pricing change as we grow? Are there any module or add-on fees? What does support cost? What are your annual price increase policies? Are there cancellation or exit fees? Decision Framework: Seven Steps Step 1: Define Your Provider Profile Solo (1-5 participants): Simple processes, limited budget, quick setup needed Small Team (6-20 participants): Growing operations, scalable costs, predictable expenses Established (21-50 participants): Stable processes, compliance support, quality tools